Branch Properties defers zoning hearing on Peachtree Battle project

Branch Properties has deferred appearing before the Zoning Committee of Neighborhood Planning Unit-B Tuesday, Nov. 24, to request a zoning change in order to develop a high-rise mixed-use

Branch Properties Senior Vice President Jack Haylett shows a rendering of the proposed residential/retail development at Peachtree Road and Terrace Drive.

residential and retail project at the corner of Peachtree Road and Terrace Drive in Buckhead.

The 19-story project would include 251 apartments and ground-level retail and would be located at the northwest corner of the present Peachtree Battle Shopping Center. Branch Properties has owned Peachtree Battle Shopping Center since 1982 and this would add a residential component.

Branch hosted a meeting for the Peachtree Hills neighborhood Nov. 11 at at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2461 Peachtree Road, which was attended by some 50 residents from the surrounding single-family home neighborhood and high-rise condominiums and apartments.

Abve is a site plan for the proposed Branch Properties i9-story residential/retail development at Peachtree Road and Terrace Drive adjacent to the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center.

The property involved is 1.866 acres at the corner of Peachtree and Terrace and is currently occupied by a Burger King, Design Within Reach and the antique store. The Burger King and antique store are zoned C-3, unconditional, as is the balance of the Peachtree Battle Center. The Design Within Reach property was zoned C-1 with conditions to permit the Loop Pizza restaurant several years ago.

The application proposes to zone the property C-3 conditioned on a site plan and other conditions for a residential building of 18 stories above one level of retail, with parking accommodated in a deck under and to the rear of the building.

The development would include 251 apartment units, which will be designed for and marketed to people 35-54 years old. One bedroom units will

begin at 850 square feet. There was no discussion at the meeting of pricing for the various residential units.

In addition, the application proposes 15,000 square feet of retail and 15,000 square feet of restaurant space on the ground level fronting Peachtree. Branch anticipates the retail will be complementary to that which presently exists in the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center and that the restaurant would be a white tablecloth restaurant aimed at lunch and dinner business.

The building would be oriented along Terrace drive—since that is the highest point of the property and Branch wants the parking deck on the lowest point—and it is proposed to be a total of 19 stories and 225 feet in height.

As a matter of comparison, the developer reports that the two Plaza Tower buildings just to the north are 22 stories and 265 feet, the building at Peachtree and Lindbergh is 18 stories and 231 feet and the Bennington is 18 stories and 231 feet in height.

In terms of vehicular access, the building will use the existing drive from the upper Publix parking deck onto Terrace and also have access through the shopping center to the Peachtree/Peachtree Battle traffic signal, as well as other shopping center driveways to Peachtree. There would be an additional non-signalized access point on Peachtree.

According to Jeffrey Kirsch, who was at the developer’s information meeting Nov. 11, “There was disbelief over the traffic study and passionate concern over the proposed demolition of the antiques store by some” attending the meeting.

“One person asked to see elevation drawings for the east side, where the parking deck will be located,” Kirsch added.

Kirsch told BuckheadView, “The Peachtree Hill Civic Association will be sending out a questionnaire to its members to solicit feedback for the developers.”

That is likely the reason Branch Properties chose to defer from presenting its application at the Nov. 24 NPU-B Zoning Committee meeting. The responses from the questionnaire most likely have not all been received yet from surrounding residents. The Branch zoning item was on the Oct.27 NPU-B Zoning Committee agenda, but the developer failed to show at that meeting.

This is absolutely unacceptable. The traffic will be a nightmare and the homeowners who have purchased property in Park Lane at Peachtree will have their views blocked by renters. This is an absolute aberration.